Is EMS culture affecting EMS progression

[spimx]

What is the culture like in your area. In Austin area it was back in 2014 a culture of competition and legitimacy. Many pretentious attitudes and punitive environment. Arriving on the Mexican border it was a breath of fresh air. The medicine is a bit antiquated but the environment is real trust and teamwork. Fire Departments in general are more cohesive and I think collective bargaining and civil service status creates a culture of poor discipline and quality.

How do we get past a competitive environment to build real team work and accelerate the career.

What are the goals of EMS?
Integrated healthcare I think is a dumb idea, sorry. We should focus on implementing new technology/capabilities. Billing for ISTAT, ultrasound and other emerging technology will help us more than building continuity with hospitals and clinics, because most calls we can not provide anything more than a ride and continuity, change that and we can accelerate the career.

 

[mgr22]

What is the culture like in your area. In Austin area it was back in 2014 a culture of competition and legitimacy. Many pretentious attitudes and punitive environment. Arriving on the Mexican border it was a breath of fresh air. The medicine is a bit antiquated but the environment is real trust and teamwork. Fire Departments in general are more cohesive and I think collective bargaining and civil service status creates a culture of poor discipline and quality.

How do we get past a competitive environment to build real team work and accelerate the career.

What are the goals of EMS?
Integrated healthcare I think is a dumb idea, sorry. We should focus on implementing new technology/capabilities. Billing for ISTAT, ultrasound and other emerging technology will help us more than building continuity with hospitals and clinics, because most calls we can not provide anything more than a ride and continuity, change that and we can accelerate the career.

I don't think competition is necessarily a bad thing. Anything short of sabotage can be constructive and educational.

Everywhere I've worked, there were people who could do things better than me. That made me want to be at least as good. That's a healthy form of competition.

What does "integrated healthcare" mean to you? To me, it can be part of "focus[ing] on implementing new technology/capabilities," as you say.

IMO, the primary goal of EMS is just what we were taught: Do no harm.

 

[spimx]

Competition is bad because it hurts us when we work as a team. When you don't trust the people you work with because they are all in a competition it hurts your focus and your abilities to apply your knowledge and skills. The competition takes away from the focus of accelerating the career, individuals focus on elevating themselves above the career or the team. I'm so sick of paramedics trying to act like they are smarter than you and using complicated vernacular in a display to try and elevate themselves, like they are a PhD or something when all they have is an associates an no pension to speak of.

I think most of the people who actually have significant higher education and experience understand how ridiculous it is to put on such a display. More important is your ability and the teams ability to apply themselves and work cohesively.

 

[mgr22]

Competition is bad because it hurts us when we work as a team. When you don't trust the people you work with because they are all in a competition it hurts your focus and your abilities to apply your knowledge and skills. The competition takes away from the focus of accelerating the career, individuals focus on elevating themselves above the career or the team. I'm so sick of paramedics trying to act like they are smarter than you and using complicated vernacular in a display to try and elevate themselves, like they are a PhD or something when all they have is an associates an no pension to speak of.

Sounds like your experience with competition and trust is different from mine. And some people who've acted smarter than me have actually been smarter than me,

 

[spimx]

Sounds like your experience with competition and trust is different from mine. And some people who've acted smarter than me have actually been smarter than me,

My experience is between working in the Austin area and then on the Mexican border is that guys who put on such a ridiculous display acting like they are a PhD or something; definitely not better paramedics than a paramedic who learned English as a second language. When you don't have to worry about some competitive and punitive culture you can reach a different level of confidence and focus, that affects the community.

What role does EMS culture have on the confidence and focus of especially a new or broken paramedic? What can an individual do to foster a more cohesive and positive environment.

Which is most influential on the community, culture, confidence of the paramedic or the academic prowess of the paramedic?

 

[mgr22]

I think the culture of any profession has approximately the same effect on new or burnt-out members. The vibe can be anywhere from nurturing to discouraging. Veteran practitioners can choose to sidestep negative groupthink -- e.g., I was treated badly when I was new; therefore, I'm going to do the same to you -- and strive to set good examples for novices. That may be unpopular but it's not complicated: just treat others the way you wanted to be treated when you were new.

I think we are most influential in our communities when we are competent and compassionate. Confidence is helpful but should be understated. Most people consider humility a virtue, in my opinion.

I don't think the average patient is plugged into our culture or is able to judge our academic prowess.